SSS-Ranked Evolution: Worlds Unbound-Chapter 64: Best of warriors (dont buy)
"He is an old friend, we beat ourselves up because we couldn’t recognize each other." he let out a small laugh, the laugh passed to the kids, but their hands were plastered against their mouths to muffle the laughter, "we will need supplies, and a bath." he immediately took his hand off Luna before her patience ran out. The women shared concerned looks but immediately went to get the supplies he said he needed.
One of them moved closer to Ren, she looked much younger than the other women. Fear didn’t allow her to get too far, Luna unexpectedly let out a whine, signalling to Ren that she was hungry again when she licked the back of his hand multiple times. Ren shot her a side eye and a judging look, "go." he gave her the command and she sprinted outside. To everyone’s surprise, "she will bring back food." His voice heavier than lead.
He allowed himself to be led into the inn. It was bigger than it looked on the outside with multiple rooms and in those rooms, he found out that many more people occupied the rooms but all in all, they were just a handful less than a hundred. The town used to host thousands of people but barely any people remained.
Ren was placed in one of the better rooms, while it was not immune to decay, it was very clear that the room held one of the richest people. And since he was their guest, he deserved it. And the assassin wouldn’t want his "friend" to be given anything less.
"It isn’t much but it is what we have. I pray it fits you." The young woman who had led him there presented him with some fresh clothes while taking his dirty garbs. His wounds had been treated and wrapped with bandages. He bowed slightly showing his appreciation to her before she left.
His new clothes consisted of some light cotton pants and an oversized cotton shirt, they gave him comfort, somehow resembling what he used to wear when he was still with his mother. He sat on the bed, a low creek coming from the wood underneath. Thoughts ran through his mind, noticing the ruin even more. Realization hit him harder than the truck that ended his previous life did.
The assassin was their support system. And he had almost killed him.
His deep thinking was broken when he heard a knock on his door, soon, the young man let himself in. He, too, had been bandaged but came without a shirt, revealing an extremely toned figure and what looked like a branding mark on the left side of his torso. Ren locked eyes with him before the assassin flashed a mocking smile at him.
"Friend." A short laugh followed him as he walked in, grabbing the chair closer to Ren, spinning it backwards and sitting on it. Slightly leaning to stare into Ren’s eyes. Silence for just a while before Ren spoke up.
"You protect these people dont you? You are like their god, like their king."
"Far from a king, I am their brother and only family. The earthquake took all they had, so I became all they have. I protect them with my life. For anything to happen to them, I have to die first." his cheerful aura faded, and his worry became visible to Ren.
"This place will fall apart eventually." Ren made the inevitable known. The assassin’s silence said it all. He knew, but he still had hope.
"We have started rebuilding. Though it will not be as great as it used to be, it will be enough for its people." His eyes held lofty dreams and with a faint smile, Ren knew it was his only dream.
"Are you from here too?"
"Yes... and returned after I escaped the cruel grip of Doga. We are not much different." a small smirk plastered on his face, his eyes trailing to his side, making Ren’s follow. That was where he got the branding mark from. Doga...was not the kindest to people outside its territory.
"We aren’t. I fled after I awakened, left my mother behind..." Ren reminisced his life before he became a beast tamer, how happy he was, but even in that happy memory, he could still see Reina and the promise he made to her, "the empire is relentless in taking beast tamers." The assassin listened to him carefully, dissecting everything he said before he nodded, "I have no plan to be in their service and will continue to run till my last breath."
"Where are you headed?" it was his turn to ask a question, no one came to Karnak, so obviously his final destination wasn’t the forsaken town.
"North."
Chapter 15: A New partner?
"North? The North is riddled with demons that killed the majority of the people here! Why would you want to go there?"
Ren searched his mind for how best to tell his new friend, but maybe some things are best kept to oneself. His eyes fluttered to the window that was slightly open, it had never stopped raining and with each second that passed, it got heavier. His mind drifted to Luna for a minute but knowing her nature, she would be fine. Ren knew he was taking too long to answer, a soft sigh escaping his lips.
"It can’t be that bad." It was his turn to joke but looking at the expression on his friend’s face, the joke didn’t go far.
"Not that bad? The demons mimic immortality, they refuse to die completely no matter how many times they are hit with the blade. You will not make it there, you have a death wish and say it can’t be that bad?" If Ren knew the assassin would have such a motherly personality, he would have kept quiet.
"I apologize for upsetting you. I have a promise I need to fulfil, and without that, I cannot go back to her." His voice heavy with many emotions. When the assassin heard "her", he calmed down a little, as if reverencing the sacred pronoun.
"Does she know you left?" he pressed on.
"She didn’t want me to." Ren managed a small smile, it seemed painful. He was debating what the assassin had said, demons that don’t die, how on earth was he going to do this one? Even if he took Luna with him, they would eventually be overcome, and he would not return to Reina alive. He was getting lost in his thoughts, but his friend nudged him out of it.
"It is best you stay here, going up North will lead to your death." he rose from his chair, deciding that they had spoken enough till Ren stopped him.
"Why would anyone stay here, why would you stay here? What is here in this place? Nothing but desolation." The assassin stopped in his tracks, Ren’s words registering in his brain, slowly, painfully but loud and clear.
"Just like you. I made a promise to find my brother. I will not stop till my last breath." and with that, he left Ren to his own company. Ren’s expression twisted slightly, pulling himself to lay across the massive bed. The words sang in his head over and over again.
To find his brother.
Hanabi flashed many times in his head. He wondered what his sister was doing, was she sleeping well? Was she happy? As he closed his eyes in sleep, a lone tear slid down his left eye. He missed his family so much but for now, the thundering melodies of the rain will have to be enough to drown his misery.
Hours passed and Ren’s eyes finally opened, the sky darkened and what lit up his room was the light from many small candles that weren’t there before. He moaned gently, his mind racing to Luna, had she come back? He pushed himself off the bed, opening the door to let himself out. The hallways were lit with candles, the makeshift curtains danced furiously against the cold harsh winds that let themselves in.
Moving down the staircase, he was almost hit by a kid that was running up the stairs fast but swerved to the right just in time. The place seemed more lively, the kids refused to sleep as some women tried to get them into their respective rooms, but they ended up rebelling. Reaching the bottom, he sighted Luna in the corner with a few kids, receiving bell rubs. His brow raised before passing her a discreet judgemental side eye. She was having the time of her life.
Standing there, a woman approached him with a warm smile, "thank you." her voice was tiny, her fingers fidgeting. Ren cocked his head to the side slightly, why was she thanking him? "She brought back a lot of animals for us. Everyone had a good meal, please come eat." Surprisingly, she held his hand. Ren was frozen at the touch he didn’t realize she had dragged him to the dining and served him a delicious supper.
